Comments on: Astronomers Catch Binary Star Explosion Inside a Nebula http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/20/astronomers-catch-binary-star-explosion-inside-a-nebula/ Space and astronomy news Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:07:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jon Hanford http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/20/astronomers-catch-binary-star-explosion-inside-a-nebula/comment-page-1/#comment-42178 Jon Hanford Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:49:40 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21276#comment-42178 "A Planetary Nebula around Nova V 458 Vulpecula undergoing flash ionization" published by R. Wesson et al can be found at http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.0401 and was published on 10-2-08 and rather simply explains the physics of this object & the nova event. Additional images by these researchers can be found at http://zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~rwesson/novavul/. Additional Xray observations by Suzaku by Tsujimoto, M et al were published 10-17-08 and can be found at http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.3077. This peculiar system will be sure to generate interest by astronomers studying both Planetary Nebulae & Novae specialists in the months and years to come. What a fortuitous time for this unusual event to occur! I believe the correct & current desgnation for the PN is PN G58.63-03.62 based on galactic coordinates given in the first paper mentioned above. "A Planetary Nebula around Nova V 458 Vulpecula undergoing flash ionization" published by R. Wesson et al can be found at http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.0401 and was published on 10-2-08 and rather simply explains the physics of this object & the nova event. Additional images by these researchers can be found at http://zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~rwesson/novavul/. Additional Xray observations by Suzaku by Tsujimoto, M et al were published 10-17-08 and can be found at http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.3077. This peculiar system will be sure to generate interest by astronomers studying both Planetary Nebulae & Novae specialists in the months and years to come. What a fortuitous time for this unusual event to occur! I believe the correct & current desgnation for the PN is PN G58.63-03.62 based on galactic coordinates given in the first paper mentioned above.

]]> By: Bill G http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/20/astronomers-catch-binary-star-explosion-inside-a-nebula/comment-page-1/#comment-42056 Bill G Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:45:50 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21276#comment-42056 <i>At the ends of their lives, before an all-encompassing supernova explosion, some stars undergo nova explosions</i> I don't think there's any evidence that novae are the precursors of supernovae. While it's entirely possible for a binary system that would eventually produce a type Ia supernova to experience nova events before it suffers a deflagration event, that doesn't mean that these are the only binary systems that can generate novae. At the ends of their lives, before an all-encompassing supernova explosion, some stars undergo nova explosions

I don't think there's any evidence that novae are the precursors of supernovae. While it's entirely possible for a binary system that would eventually produce a type Ia supernova to experience nova events before it suffers a deflagration event, that doesn't mean that these are the only binary systems that can generate novae.

]]> By: ESA Exile http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/20/astronomers-catch-binary-star-explosion-inside-a-nebula/comment-page-1/#comment-41962 ESA Exile Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:16:21 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21276#comment-41962 The apparent brightness of all the objects taken together will change as the exposure time would have been different between the images. The important thing is that the nova candidate flares up and becomes far brighter relative to the other objects in the image. In other words it has truely increased in luminosity. Also if you look carefully at the image you can see a cloudy haze surrounding the central nova. I assume that this is the planetary nebula, produced earlier in the star's evolution. As in the future months the light travels through the nebula different sections will be illuminated at different times, effectively allowing the 3D structure to be disected. The apparent brightness of all the objects taken together will change as the exposure time would have been different between the images. The important thing is that the nova candidate flares up and becomes far brighter relative to the other objects in the image. In other words it has truely increased in luminosity. Also if you look carefully at the image you can see a cloudy haze surrounding the central nova. I assume that this is the planetary nebula, produced earlier in the star's evolution. As in the future months the light travels through the nebula different sections will be illuminated at different times, effectively allowing the 3D structure to be disected.

]]> By: Vino http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/20/astronomers-catch-binary-star-explosion-inside-a-nebula/comment-page-1/#comment-41956 Vino Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:55:10 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21276#comment-41956 The last image seems a bit confusing...because i could see the other nearby object also varying its intensity... Can someone explain that sequence of images, please? The last image seems a bit confusing…because i could see the other nearby object also varying its intensity… Can someone explain that sequence of images, please?

]]> By: Marjie Cheesman http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/20/astronomers-catch-binary-star-explosion-inside-a-nebula/comment-page-1/#comment-41894 Marjie Cheesman Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:57:04 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21276#comment-41894 I don't feel that this particular set of images is particularly well explained. I don't feel that this particular set of images is particularly well explained.

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